Relaxation of Labour Act stressed

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 18 – Private sector has reiterated that the upcoming revision in the Industrial Policy 1992 should be focused on relaxing the present Labour Act and enhancing the effectiveness of One Window Policy.

After being participated in various interaction programs organised in major cities of Nepal with an aim to incorporate private sectors’ view in the new Industrial Policy, they raised their deep concern over the indifferent behaviour of the government towards addressing problems related with private industries.

"The weak implementation of the Industrial Policy and lack of inter-relationships among the Industrial Policy, Industrial Enterprises Act and Finance Act are some of the major obstacles in ensuring more and active participation of the private sector in industrial activities," they stressed.

Speaking on the workshops organised recently by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies in Biratnagar, Birgunj and Hetauda, most of the speakers said that the frequent changes in the Acts and Regulations have faded the sprit of the Policy and hence investors are discouraged to invest in Nepal.

A high-level officer of the Ministry informed The Kathmandu Post that private sector was particularly worried about the existing Labour Act, which they argued is totally in the favour of labour. Industrialists have been demanding that export oriented industries and industries established with at least 50 per cent of the foreign participation should be given the right to hire and fire labourers and all kinds of agitation should be banned in such industries.

Similarly, ineffectiveness of the One Window policy has also ailed to attract much needed and expected Foreign Direct Investments into Nepal.

During the interaction, government officials said the government is always ready to extend maximum possible cooperation in addressing their problems but they stressed that private sector should also be serious in establishing industries with maximum forward and backward linkage that ultimately can contribute to reduce poverty and employment generation.

Plagued by the less-than-expected outcome of the present industrial policy and to incorporate necessary policies to ensure more effective participation of the private sector, the government had formed a task force to review the Industrial Policy 1992.

The task force, headed by Govinda Prasad Kusum, Joint Secretary at the Ministry, comprises representatives of government bodies and private organisations like Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) and will submit its report within six months.

The policy-reviewing task force began its work about a month ago under the co-operation of Small Industrial Promotion Project (SIP-P) of the Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC). Experts from SDC and SIP-P will also contribute in the reviewing process.

The new policy would be focused on accelerating the open and liberal economic policy of the government by restructuring the one window policy to stimulate Foreign Direct Investment.

Similarly, the report would also recommend investment friendly programs and policies to encourage local industrial investment.

The Ministry sources also said that the upcoming review in the industrial policy would also be directed towards achieving the national goal of poverty alleviation as the government has again pinpointed the poverty alleviation as the sole objective of the upcoming Tenth Plan.

Mineral water found contaminated

By Manoj M Rijal

KATHMANDU, Oct 18 – If you think that it is only the milk sold in the Kathmandu valley contains bacteria harmful to human health, then you are wrong. The same bacteria that causes diarrhoea, cold and other illnesses was found in sealed mineral water bottles recently.

And this comes as a matter of grave concern, especially because no one bothers to boil the so-called healthy mineral water. Not many complaints so far have flowed in by consuming milk because most Kathmanduites boil milk before consumption, killing the bacteria in the process.

An official at the Food Technology and Quality Control Department (FTQCD) informed The Kathmandu Post that the department acting on a tip off recently collected mineral water samples from the valley to test its quality. And they were found to contain coliform and mesophile, the bacteria responsible for various illnesses.

Officials said that an anonymous caller through the hotline service complained the FTQCD about the sale of contaminated water that caused him and others stomach pain and cold. The department immediately collected samples from the alleged shop and tested it, said a high level source at the department.

The hotline service is in operation since last one month to register complaints about adulteration in food items and to aid in any investigation relating to the quality of any edibles with an aim to control malpractice.

According to Urmila Joshi, Food Research Officer at the Department, coliform bacteria count in the mineral water was found to be 17 per millilitre. However, such bacteria should be nil in any kind of bottled mineral water as per the quality standards determined by the government.

Furthermore, the mesophilic bacteria were also recorded at 1200 per millilitre. "The count of mesophilic bacteria should not exceed 25 per millilitre, according to quality standards," Joshi added. Coliform as well mesophilic bacteria both breed in dirty places and wastages. The presence of such bacteria in any kind of food is enough to turn consumers sick.

When asked to mention the brand name of the mineral water, Urmila refused to reveal, saying, "The next step is to seal the shop and the factory. If the brand name as well as the shop comes out, it would be difficult to proceed with legal action."

According to Food Act 2023, the FTQCD has the right to initiate legal action against those found indulging in adulteration or selling of contaminated edibles. The cases are filed at the District Administration Office (DAO) through the government attorney.

However, the officials at the department complain that the legal process is lengthy and they have no right to decide over such cases. "The Department should have the right to act as a quasi-judicial body to look over the cases of food adulteration," said Dip Jung Shah, Deputy General Director at the Department.

ICT can reduce poverty

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 18 - At a time when the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been playing a crucial role in fighting against poverty in other countries,
a large segment of rural Nepal continue to be cut off from such the benefits hampering the efforts to eradicate poverty.

The statement came on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) organised here today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Briefing a recently concluded field study in Mustang, Jumla, Palpa and Rupendehi, Dr Ramesh Ananda Vaidya, Member of National Planning Commission (NPC) said that the Nepalese society in rural areas has still been deprived from some of the basic needs of a good living.

"The rural segment is in a very preliminary stage of communication age. There are not enough radios and televisions, telephone lines, telecom services, computers and other basic requirements," he said.

Citing a community-based ICT project in Dhar District in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh that won the Stockholm Challenge Award 2000, Dr Vaidya said a similar IT programme in remote areas of Nepal would be helpful to the local people to lift their miserable livelihood.

Prithvi Raj Ligal, Vice Chairman of NPC conceded that the lack of enough budget and specific programs are hindering the government’s efforts to expand ICT in the rural sector. "However, the government has allocated enough budget for the installation of ICT and personal computers in village level in the tenth plan."

Speaking at the programme, Dr Henning Karcher, Resident Representative of UNDP to Nepal said, UNDP is closely working with the government in poverty monitoring and poverty mapping applying ICT as appropriate tool.

Citing Kanchanpur as ICT-friendly district, he said that installation of computers in all the municipalities and VDCs would help villagers not only to have information on plans, budgets, resources and expenses but also help to develop a transparent and accountable new culture from the bottom up.